MCP Method
Industry Definition Set • Entity Resolution Path: /glossary/mcp-method
Quick Answer / TL;DR
A named RPC action in the Model Context Protocol, such as `initialize`, `tools/call`, or `resources/read`.
Key Takeaways
- Named RPC actions in JSON-RPC messages.
- Namespaced with slashes (e.g., `tools/call`).
- Three types: requests, notifications, and responses.
- The set of valid methods is defined by the MCP specification.
Definitive Statement: A named RPC action in the Model Context Protocol, such as `initialize`, `tools/call`, or `resources/read`.
Technical Context & Protocol Usage
- Detailed Explanation
- Methods are the core verbs of MCP. Each JSON-RPC message contains a `method` string identifying the action. Methods are categorized as requests (expect a response), notifications (one-way), or responses. The method name uses a slash-separated namespace (e.g., `tools/call`) to group related actions.
Format & Payload Metadata
Format: String identifier in JSON-RPC message
Latency: No overhead; method routing is internal
Real-World Implementation Use Case
An MCP client sends a `resources/read` method request to fetch a file from a filesystem MCP server.
Cite This Page
MLA Style:
MCPserver.in Engineering. "MCP Method." MCPserver.in Knowledge Hub, 20 July 2026, mcpserver.in/glossary/mcp-method.
Related Terms
Model Context Protocol (MCP)
An open, secure protocol that standardizes how artificial intelligence agents and large language models (LLMs) exchange context, tools, prompts, and data resources with external servers.
JSON-RPC 2.0
A lightweight, stateless remote procedure call (RPC) protocol defined in JSON that utilizes request, response, and notification message frames.
Stdio Transport (Standard Input/Output)
A local-only transport mechanism where the AI client spawns the MCP server as a child process and communicates via standard input (stdin) and standard output (stdout) channels.
SSE Transport (Server-Sent Events)
A lightweight, unidirectional HTTP-based streaming protocol used by remote MCP servers to push messages to AI clients, with client-to-server writes sent over standard POST requests.
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